Pneumatically-operated piano.



A. G. GULBRANSEN. PNEUIATIGAL'LY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 20,1909,

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

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A. G. GULBRANSBN. ylNEUMATGALL'E OPERATED HANG.

APPLICATIGN ELED MAR. 20,1999, 944,033.

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Ha ulrfwm rear ends of the piano keys and directly in i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL G. GULBRANSEN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNIJE T0 G'U-BRANSEN 85 DICKIN- SON COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATICALLY-GPERATED PIANO.

-Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21,1909.

Application filed MarcltZU, 1909. Serial No. 484,633.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL G.' GULBRAN- SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatically-Operated Pianos, of which the followingz,` is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference beinga had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica tion.

My invention relates to pneumaticallyoperated pianos and its object is tio provide improved and more elticient arrangement, particularly in the association ot' the actuating' mechanism with the striking` mechanism ot the 1 ano.

In the arrangement to which my invention is applied Athe pneumatic actuating units are disposed in horizontal rows just. above the front of the lower ends ot' the piano abstract rods, and my invention resides particu-` larly in the manner of connecting,r the units with the abstract rods. In my tatent No. 874675 issued Dec. 4, 1907, the movable members of the units engage directly with adjustable abutment pieces secured to the abstract rods, but the units must be uiore or less disturbed before the abutment pieces can be secured in final adjusted position. 1n my present invention the arrangement is sui-h that the units can be primarily arranged m position and all adjusting otl the abutment and connecting mechanism made without. in any way disturbing this primary :ii-rangment, and readjustnient lan be readily made at any time from'the trout ot' the piano without in the least moving` or dislfilacing the actuating units. To accomplish the above features, I secure abutment, n'iei'nbers ot in'iproved construction in a horizontal row well above the top row ot units` which men'ibers I are eiigaged by pitnian rods extending' upwardly from the movable members ot' the i units and which are entirely supported by the units. These abutment membersI are readilyaccessible from the Vtrout o'tithe piano by merely renioving theI lront board ot' the piano. i

primarily, or thereatter, without disturbing the uniti.' which can be placed in their permanent posit'on when prmiarly installed.

Referring to the accompanyin, drawiiigs vwhich illustrate my invention Figure l .shows AdjustmentV can therefore be made the end ofthe keyboard section ot' a piano, with end wall removed, the pneumatic actuating units being shown iii position and the connecting iiiechanim between them and the l abstract rods illustrated, Fig'. 2 is a top View taken trom plane Q-- Fig'. l,- Fig. 3 is' a front view taken from plane 3--3 lFig. Fig. 4t is a section View taken on a 'vertical plane passingY through the middle ot' a unit and part ot the .supportingtrame, and Fig. i 5 a perspectiif'e View ot' that part of the alnit'ment meclianisn'i which secured to the abstract rods.

rl`hc piano traine section shown cou'iprises the key shelf lA the lront l'i'aine i?. the front panel fi. and the rover i. 'the piano'keys are pivoted on the shell" in the well known manner. their rear ends supporting;A pins (3 which engage with the lower ends of the l piano abstract rods 7, extending;` upwardly and terminating` in string` ,striking niechan. ism, which itV is not necessary to lshow.

Piuitably supported in vert ical position i troni the piano trame and extending' li0ri l ./.fnitally inst above the keys and to the rear ot' the trout traine E2 is the frame S, forming a rarmun chamber .l. Secured to and eX- u-ndine' rearwardly Vfrom the rear 'all' l() i ol this .chamber are the actuating units V1.1, whose motaiile members l2 terminate in extensions or shelres lIB. "lhe construction ot i the units is best ,shown iii Fig'. l. The movi able member 1; is hinged at il to the main block lf; and llcxible l'abi'ic lt is secured to the .sides4 and rear endsy ot the block and member 1; to l'orn, a bellows con'ipartment 1T. 'the block is recessed to torni the upper and lower diaphragm chambers lS and if)` separated by the diaphragm 20.

Secured to the topv ot' the block l5 is the valve l/lockzl which has the \'al\'e chamber 22. Ther top olA thisv ruaniber is covered by the animlar metallic. seat Ql,-cu .hitnied by i-tlic leather washer the outlet 2.3 connect'- ino' with the atmosphere. Through the l lower wall )i o' the ralrichamber is an l openingg` iti in which is glued, or otherwise i held, au annular .seat in the l'orm of a metal l ring iti'. rl`hc opening tapers downwardly and tht` ring' tapers corres]iondiugly, the top i edge o'lf the ring;l heine' liuishedl to form a i smooth seat. This taper construction ai. ists 1 iii holdiim' thc rino' securely and rigidly' in i the opening' and prevents it t'rom tallino' through the, opening, should it ereibecome Changes bothV inconstruction and rangement Vc'oultd be made without departing from the'sp'irit of my invention l do noty therefore limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown. For e ample the extensions 13 of the top row otunits could engage directly with the corresponding abutment buttons 59, and only the ci; tensions ot' the lower units provided with pitman rods.

l desire to scour." the following Letters Patent:

l. In a pneumatically oj'ierated piano, the combination with theabstract rods ot the piano, ot' a plurality of pi'ienmatic actuating units arranged in rows in lront oi the' ali stract rods, a plurality ot supporting 'trames secured one to each abstract rod and all aranged in a row above the top row ot units, adjustable abutn'ient nieml ers carried by the frames. means providing clamping engage ment between the trainee 4 and abutment members cairied thereby, and connecting members extending from the units and engaging the abutment members.

In a pneumati ally ojierated piano, the combination with the piano abstract rods, of a plurality ot pneumatic actuating units arranged in rows in front ot' t rods, a supporting trame secured lo cach abstract rod and having a it'orwardti; eX- teiiding U part, a screw threading through both limbs of the U part, `said limbs being sprung when the screw is tirst threaded therethrough to thereby exert clamping action on said screw, an abutment carried by eachscrew, said frames vwith 'the abutments being arranged in a row above the top row of units, and a pitinaii rod extendiiig trom each unit and engaging with one ot said abutments.

3. ln a pneumatically operated piano, the coinliination with the piano abstract rods, of a plu ality ot pneumatic actuating` units arranged in rows in front ot: the abstract rods, a supporting trame secured to cach abstract. rod and having a forwardly extending U part, a sci'ew threading through both limbs of the U part., said limbs being sprung when the screw is first threaded therethiough to thereby exert clamping action on said screw, an abutment carried by each screw, said 'trames vwith the abutmentsy being arranged in a row above the top row ot' units, each abutment connecting with one of said units whereby actuation ot the unit will result in actuation ol' the abstract rod from which the abutment is suj'iported.

fl. ln a pneumatically operated piano, the combination with an abstract rod ot the piano, oiC a pneumatic aetuatn'ig unit having a vertically movable actuating member disposed adjacent the abstract rod, a U supporting` frame of spring material secured to the abstract rod adjacent the movable he abstract member, screw threading through both limbs of the trame, said limbs being sprung when the screw is priinarilythreaded therethrough to thereby exert clamping action on said screw to rigidly'hold 'it' in adjusted position, and an abutment carried by the screw and having connection with the vertically movable member of the unit.

ln pneninatically operated piano, the combination with an abstract rod of the piano, of a nneumatic actuating unit having an actuating 'member disposed adjacent said abstract rod, a trame of spring material having one ,limb secured to the abstract roti, an adjusting screw threading through both limbs ot the -U traine and clampingiy held by the spring action therei.

of. and an abutment piece carried by thel screw and having connection with the actuating member oi'f the unit.

t3. in a pncninatically operated piano, the combination with an abstract rod of the piano( oit a pneumatic actuating unit adjacent the :distract rod, an l. traine for each abstract rod having its vertical limb secured to the rod and horizortal limb extending` thcre'ti'om, anf adjnesting` tscrew threading through the horizontal limb, an abutment carried by the screw and having connection with the actuating unit, andan extension trom said' lioriz/ontal limb having clamping engagement with said screw to hold said t-erew tirmly in adjusted position.

T. ln a pneuinatically operated piano, the combination with an abstract rod ot the piano, oit a pneumatic actuating unit adjacent the abstract rod, in l. frame for each abstract rod having its vertical limb secured to the rod and its horizontal limb extendingl therefrom` an adjusting` screw threading through the horizontal limb, an abutment carried by the screw and having connection with thc actuating unit, the end ot said hori zont'al limb being bent back and having` threaded and clainjiing engagement with said screw to lock said screw in adjusted jv-osition.

H. in a pnetunatitailly operated piano, the combination with the. piano abstract rods, ot a plurality ot pneumatic actuating units arranged in horizontal rows in front of the ab tra L rods, connecting rods extending up wardly trom said units and supported solely thereby. an abutment supporting frame secured to cach abstract rod, and an abutment member carried by each frame, said abutment members ,being engaged by the respective connecting rods to transmit the move ments ci the units and connecting rods to the abstract rods, and said abutment frames beinej all arranged in a row above the top row ot' unitsl to bi accessible without necessitatK ing disturbance of the unitsI and connecting rods.

t). ln a' pneumatically operated piano, the

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combination with the piano abstract rods, of a. plurality of pneumatic actuating units ar ranged in horizontal rows adjacent the lower ends of the abstract rodsand each having an actuating member, a connecting rod supported from the end' of each actuating meniber and extending upwardly` therefrom, said rods all terminating in a horizontal plane above the top row' of units, a guide plate carried by the top rou7 of units through which the upper ends of all the connecting rods. pass, and abutments secured to the abstract rods in a row above the connecting rods and engaged by the upper ends of said connecting rods. 15

In Witness hereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of March A. D. 1909.

AXEL G. GULBRANSEN. 

